Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale | Anderson Valley Brewing Company
Brewed by:
Anderson Valley Brewing Company
California, United States
avbc.com
Style: Winter Warmer
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 6.90%
Availability: Winter
Notes / Commercial Description:
Winter Solstice® is our take on the classic style of “winter warmer.” Boasting a deep amber hue and rich mouthfeel, its creamy finish will lift your spirits. Hints of toffee, spice, and caramel tease the senses making this the perfect ale to share with friends and family during the cold days and long nights of winter.
Added by maxpower on 11-18-2001
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Ratings: 1,808 | Reviews: 730
4.42/5 rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.25/5 rDev +10.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.67/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
4.35/5 rDev +12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
3.81/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
do not get me wrong, I think this is a fine beer. it is just not a "great" beer. To me, a 4 or above is a great beer. This is good if you like to drink something alcoholic and can't tell it has alcohol. But, you can't really tell this is beer, mostly. To some, that is great. I like beer though. So, the conflicted feelings about this beer.
This is mild, sweet, and easy to drink. The flavors, as other have said, are of alcoholic cream soda. Now, I like cream soda a lot, so maybe that is why I rated this high.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
do not get me wrong, I think this is a fine beer. it is just not a "great" beer. To me, a 4 or above is a great beer. This is good if you like to drink something alcoholic and can't tell it has alcohol. But, you can't really tell this is beer, mostly. To some, that is great. I like beer though. So, the conflicted feelings about this beer.
This is mild, sweet, and easy to drink. The flavors, as other have said, are of alcoholic cream soda. Now, I like cream soda a lot, so maybe that is why I rated this high.
515 characters
3.74/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -2.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.03/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Presentation: 12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass.
Look: Copper in color with a two finger off-white head of thick foam. Good head retention.
Smell: Malts with hints of cinnamon and allspice.
Taste: All I really taste are malts but that's not necessarily a bad thing. They are crisp and clean with plenty of malt flavor.
Medium thick chewy mouthfeel with moderate carbonation. Finishes crisp and clean.
Overall: A very good malt forward beer.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Presentation: 12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass.
Look: Copper in color with a two finger off-white head of thick foam. Good head retention.
Smell: Malts with hints of cinnamon and allspice.
Taste: All I really taste are malts but that's not necessarily a bad thing. They are crisp and clean with plenty of malt flavor.
Medium thick chewy mouthfeel with moderate carbonation. Finishes crisp and clean.
Overall: A very good malt forward beer.
449 characters
3.94/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
This beer has a nice spicy sweetness to it that reminds me of a cider. It's not so sweet that it loses its beer taste, but it's got notes closer to honey than I usually find in a winter ale.
190 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
This beer has a nice spicy sweetness to it that reminds me of a cider. It's not so sweet that it loses its beer taste, but it's got notes closer to honey than I usually find in a winter ale.
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3.98/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.95/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
A beer curious, usually untested American beers. I leverage oportunitat.Una cerevsa correct, with good taste in the mouth, smell worked well
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
A beer curious, usually untested American beers. I leverage oportunitat.Una cerevsa correct, with good taste in the mouth, smell worked well
140 characters
3.62/5 rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
From and undated can into a goblet.
Pours with a cloudy "ruddy orange" body under an awesome off-white billowy head.
On the Nose: pineapple, caramel-apple, sugar-crusted holiday bread crust.
The flavor combines some really appealing elements. Pineapple and raisin caramel dominates, with nice (but restrained) notes of oxidation. Fruit-cake and a faint whiff of spice cabinet round things out. Lower bitterness but not too sweet either.
Conclusion: A fruitier version of this style, which is nice. I still prefer maltier iterations (such as Jubelale), but this style is broad enough to incorporate both sides of the spectrum easily. A very good winter beer.
665 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
From and undated can into a goblet.
Pours with a cloudy "ruddy orange" body under an awesome off-white billowy head.
On the Nose: pineapple, caramel-apple, sugar-crusted holiday bread crust.
The flavor combines some really appealing elements. Pineapple and raisin caramel dominates, with nice (but restrained) notes of oxidation. Fruit-cake and a faint whiff of spice cabinet round things out. Lower bitterness but not too sweet either.
Conclusion: A fruitier version of this style, which is nice. I still prefer maltier iterations (such as Jubelale), but this style is broad enough to incorporate both sides of the spectrum easily. A very good winter beer.
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3.59/5 rDev -7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Dark ruby/black tea in appearance, very little carbonation or head. No lacing.
Sweet malty and nutty smell, taste backs that up. It's a bit muted, but not bad.
Clean and wet mouthfeel. This is a fair beer, very sessionable, but not memorable. I prefer my winter warmers to crank up the flavor...
301 characters
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Dark ruby/black tea in appearance, very little carbonation or head. No lacing.
Sweet malty and nutty smell, taste backs that up. It's a bit muted, but not bad.
Clean and wet mouthfeel. This is a fair beer, very sessionable, but not memorable. I prefer my winter warmers to crank up the flavor...
301 characters
3.52/5 rDev -8.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
4.18/5 rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Rose Bowl game at sharp edge. Tried this after an American stout, so it wasn't as enjoyable. Definite toffee notes. Would not be my first choice, but I think it's a good example of this style.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Rose Bowl game at sharp edge. Tried this after an American stout, so it wasn't as enjoyable. Definite toffee notes. Would not be my first choice, but I think it's a good example of this style.
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4.17/5 rDev +8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
The beer pours out into a Duvel glass a nice clear rich reddish amber color with a 1 1/2" light tan head that recedes slowly leaving some thick, fluffy lacing on the sides of the glass. Sipping leaves some scattered patches of lacing. For most of the beer there’s a ring of foam around the glass and a thin layer of foam on the surface.
The aromas include some caramel and some gentle winter spices such as vanilla and nutmeg and possibly a bit of cinnamon. There's also some some toffee in the mix.
The flavors are much as expected from the nose including some caramel and toffee sweetness accented by the vanilla along with a bit of nutmeg. There’s not much bitterness but what is there seems slightly earthy.
The mouthfeel is medium bodied and quite smooth with gentle persistent carbonation. The finish begins as the sweetness fades and the spices fade more slowly. That bit of bitterness emerges to pair with some vanilla and then end things in slightly bitter earthy dryness.
Overall an enjoyable beer that seems well made and ideal for a winter warmer that delivers some nice flavors but doesn’t overwhelm the senses. Glad I’ve got a couple more waiting in the fridge.
1,195 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
The beer pours out into a Duvel glass a nice clear rich reddish amber color with a 1 1/2" light tan head that recedes slowly leaving some thick, fluffy lacing on the sides of the glass. Sipping leaves some scattered patches of lacing. For most of the beer there’s a ring of foam around the glass and a thin layer of foam on the surface.
The aromas include some caramel and some gentle winter spices such as vanilla and nutmeg and possibly a bit of cinnamon. There's also some some toffee in the mix.
The flavors are much as expected from the nose including some caramel and toffee sweetness accented by the vanilla along with a bit of nutmeg. There’s not much bitterness but what is there seems slightly earthy.
The mouthfeel is medium bodied and quite smooth with gentle persistent carbonation. The finish begins as the sweetness fades and the spices fade more slowly. That bit of bitterness emerges to pair with some vanilla and then end things in slightly bitter earthy dryness.
Overall an enjoyable beer that seems well made and ideal for a winter warmer that delivers some nice flavors but doesn’t overwhelm the senses. Glad I’ve got a couple more waiting in the fridge.
1,195 characters
3.5/5 rDev -9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev -9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
4.5/5 rDev +16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. The appearance is a clear amber color with a medium sized white head. The aroma is grainy with some malt and spice. The taste is pretty sweet with malt and has a creamy texture with a hint of spices.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. The appearance is a clear amber color with a medium sized white head. The aroma is grainy with some malt and spice. The taste is pretty sweet with malt and has a creamy texture with a hint of spices.
248 characters
3.4/5 rDev -11.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
San Francisco, CA - bottled beer poured into a pint
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look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
San Francisco, CA - bottled beer poured into a pint
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3.56/5 rDev -7.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass.
L - -Poured a dark amber with a slight white head.
S - Smells of malt and spices.
T - Tastes sweet with maltiness and some spices on the finish.
F - Feels moderately carbonated.
O - Decent winter ale.
246 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass.
L - -Poured a dark amber with a slight white head.
S - Smells of malt and spices.
T - Tastes sweet with maltiness and some spices on the finish.
F - Feels moderately carbonated.
O - Decent winter ale.
246 characters
Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale from Anderson Valley Brewing Company
3.86
out of 5
based on 1,808 ratings.
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25